ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 High of 88 Low of 78 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WEANING GOVERNMENT OFF ITS ADDICTION TO USELESS PAPERWORK LOCAL | PAGE 9 GOVERNMENT PLANS ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY Female divers join hands for record attempt JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Scuba divers in the Cayman Islands are aiming to set a novel new world re- cord by forming the longest female under- water human chain. The record attempt, organized by Di- vetech, will be part of the Professional As- sociation of Dive Instructors’ Women’s Dive Day on July 21. At hundreds of dive resorts across the globe, divers will come together to cele- brate women in diving. Last year there were nearly 900 events in 85 countries, including underwater cleanups and charity events. Jo Mikutowicz, owner of Divetech, said the idea was to have fun and raise money for the Cayman Islands Breast Cancer Foundation. She said Women’s Dive Day helped strengthen the dive community all over the world. “By joining each other in dive or ocean related activities, it will attract new divers, keep women active in diving, help the en- vironment or raise money for a charity. Women bring a different level of pizazz to the sport with their amazing energy and it’s always a very fun and supportive event.” She said the dive industry had previously had a façade of being a male-dominated in- dustry. But she believes that has changed. “It might have been like that in the past but now it seems more and more women are involved. From being certified divers to instructors that teach and guide diving, to driving boats, marine research, tech Regulator wades into local fuel market BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s utilities and com- modities regulator is seeking a comprehensive review of the local fuel market with an eye to- ward establishing “effective su- pervision” of that market. The announcement made by OfReg Friday came amid a 30-cent rise in petroleum prices over the past three months on Grand Cayman. The Utility Regulation and Competition Office – known as OfReg – is currently seeking ex- pressions of interest from con- sultant firms who wish to per- form a regulatory evaluation and assessment of the Cayman Is- lands fuel sector. The review will seek to “iden- tify existing and potential anti- competitive practices which may impact/impede future competi- tion in existing and potential fu- ture fuel markets,” according to the expression of interest docu- ment released this month. OfReg, which also regu- lates Cayman’s water, electric and telecommunications pro- viders, notes that those indus- tries had preexisting, relatively mature, regulatory structures before the creation of the one- stop-shop regulator. By com- parison, the fuel sector was for- merly overseen by the Cayman Islands Petroleum Inspectorate, an agency that had no authority to regulate prices. “[OfReg] is currently in the early stages of establishing a comprehensive regime to effec- tively supervise the fuel sector, in order to achieve … competi- tion, transparency, efficiency and innovation in the markets …,” according to the expression of CONSERVATION COUNCIL QUESTIONS MUSIC FESTIVAL SITE APPROVAL The National Conservation Council has called into doubt the approval process for a major music festival site. The council says its advice regarding the KAABOO site was not properly considered by the Central Planning Authority. Now the council has written to the planning department seeking an explanation for the oversight. For more, please see page 5. UK MEDIA REPORTS ON GOVERNOR’S ‘WITHDRAWAL’ Two weeks after his “temporary with- drawal” from the Cayman Islands, Governor Anwar Choudhury has found himself in the headlines of the U.K. press. The Daily Mail on Sunday reported alle- gations based on anonymous sources that Mr. Choudhury, 59, had been “bullying” staff members during his two-and-a-half months in office here, engaging in inappropriate conduct with both Governor’s Office staff and family members. “Sources have said that [Mr. Choudhury] is also accused of misbehavior towards his wife, Momina, 16 years his junior,” the news- paper reported. “In addition it is claimed he had a drunken row with his elderly mother- in-law one night.” The Cayman Compass earlier reported that a formal complaint about Mr. Choud- hury’s behavior in office had been filed by staff members. U.K. officials temporarily withdrew Mr. Choudhury from his post on or about June 12, stating an internal inves- tigation into the matter would take between four and six weeks. Phone calls, text messages and emails to Mr. Choudhury this week and last week seeking comment have not been returned. U.K. foreign office representatives in Cayman have steadfastly refused to comment on the reasons for the gover- nor’s withdrawal. Head of the Governor’s Office in Cayman, Matthew Forbes, was contacted again on Sunday but declined to provide any clarity surrounding the anonymous allegations. “I have seen [the article]. I am not able to comment as the investigation is ongoing,” Mr. Forbes said. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Female divers will come together at Lighthouse Point on Women’s Dive Day to form an underwater human chain in an attempt to break a record. - PHOTO: TONY LAND PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) JURASSIC WORLD: THE FALLEN KINGDOM (PG13) 1:00 VIP I 1:30 3D I 4:00 VIP I 4:25 7:00 VIP I 7:20 3D I 9:50 VIP I 10:10 INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 12:45 3D I 3:30 I 6:30 3D I 9:20 TAG (R) 1:35 I 4:30 I 7:40 I 10:05 BREAKING IN (PG13) 12:45 I 3:00 I 5:15 I 7:30 I 9:45 OCEANS 8 (PG13) 1:15 I 4:10 I 7:20 I 10:00 Youth parliamentarians debate pros and cons of Brexit MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Jenae Whittaker shifted back and forth on her feet as she stood addressing 18 other Regional Youth Par- liament members in the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly on Friday. She was arguing that the nine Carib- bean nations represented by the group should not endorse the United Kingdom’s plans to exit the European Union. “The U.K. can only think of themselves,” she told the group of high school and col- lege students. “They are crip- pling their relationships with other European nations. For the Cayman Islands, we have more to lose than to gain with Brexit.” This was the 14th time the Regional Youth Parliament has met and the first time it has convened in Cayman, government officials said. Legislative Assembly Speaker McKeeva Bush wel- comed the group by acknowl- edging that their debate over whether or not to support Brexit was more than an aca- demic exercise. “As a parliament, we haven’t had the opportu- nity ourselves [to debate the topic], but we’re eager to hear your thoughts on it,” Mr. Bush said. “I don’t want you to think we’re just here as a for- mality. We do pay attention to what young people say.” He told the group that such exercises were also a way for the students to im- prove their research and ora- tory skills. They also serve as an opportunity for the stu- dents to share their views with a wider audience. “Debates are vital tools to inform and mold public opinion,” he said. “So don’t think that this is just a ‘topic.’ It will inform my thinking. I believe I’m going to get some- thing out of this.” Ms. Whittaker was one of two Caymanians en- gaged in the debate. While she was on the side arguing against supporting the U.K.’s move, Richard Weber argued the other side. He said getting out from underneath monetary regu- lations imposed by the Euro- pean Union would be a good thing for Great Britain and the Commonwealth coun- tries, Cayman in particular. “Without this red tape, we would not only be able to expand our financial offer- ings, but so would London,” Mr. Weber said. He also predicted it would strengthen economic ties be- tween its islands and the U.K. “To break from the Euro- pean Union would allow for a mutually beneficial rela- tionship to emerge,” he said. “That is a long-term positive.” Ade O’Neal, of Barbados, cautioned that the territories should not be so quick to as- sume such a beneficial rela- tionship is a given. “Why do you think a country that wants to be so insular all of a sudden wants to be our friend?” Mr. O’Neal asked. “If we can’t control the beast, why bring it?” He said no one should be comfortable with so many unknowns. “Don’t give inebriates to a monster,” he said. “Don’t slap a beast you can’t con- trol. Don’t set a fire that you can’t contain.” The debate ran through the morning. Other mem- bers of the Legislative As- sembly were on hand as well as educators connected with the program and family and friends of the partic- ipants, who were seated in the gallery. At one point, Layton Lewis of Turks and Caicos, argued against the potential finan- cial risks of a split from the European Union. “The stakes are too high,” Mr. Lewis said. “The economy will suffer great damage. Al- ready, the pound is at its lowest level in seven years. The loss is far too much for Britain and for us in the overseas territories.” But Xavier Richardson, of Trinidad and Tobago, said there could be benefits to a nationalist movement. “The responsibility to those that live within our borders must take prece- dence,” Mr. Richardson said. The students also touched on such topics as what im- pact Brexit might have on local tourism, poten- tial travel restrictions and an anticipated loss of polit- ical influence for the United Kingdom in Europe. Mr. Bush said he was im- pressed by the students. “I have real hope for the future of our youth,” he said. Families turn out to support Evans family at KidFest SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The community turned out en masse Saturday at Pedro St. James for KidFest, an event held in honor of the memory of baby Nolan Evans. Young Nolan passed away in January after a seven-month battle with congenital heart defects, and his parents are hoping to allay the pain for future Cayman families. Sean and Ailian Evans have taken their tragedy and turned it into a platform for philanthropy. More than 200 children and 200 parents showed up at Pedro St. James on Saturday, and Mrs. Evans said on Sunday that they had raised more than $15,000 for Hart for Hearts and the Cayman Heart Fund. “It’s wonderful. People have been very generous and we are thankful for the great support,” said Mrs. Evans of the commu- nity’s response to Nolan’s legacy. “Our mission is to raise awareness about Con- genital Heart Defects in the Cayman Islands as well as raise funds for fami- lies with CHD babies who are in need; hence why we are donating the funds to Hart for Hearts and the Cayman Heart Fund.” Nolan would have cele- brated his first birthday on June 21, and KidFest brought together local families in one of Cayman’s most beau- tiful locations. There was a bouncy castle, face-painting, arts and crafts, and animal petting lined up as activities, and families could get a pro- fessional portrait taken. For Mrs. Evans, the en- tire day was sad with the memory of Nolan but also hopeful for the future. “It’s heartbreaking, but at the same time, it’s re- warding,” she said. “This is the way I wanted to carry his legacy and honor his name. I know he can’t be here, un- fortunately, due to his heart condition. His heart was in- compatible. He went through seven heart procedures and I was by his bedside until his last breath. I didn’t know about his heart problem in the womb; it was diagnosed after he was born.” The Center for Disease Control in the United States says that congenital heart defects affect nearly 1 per- cent – or about 40,000 – of the births that take place in the U.S. on an annual basis. A little more than four percent of all neonatal deaths are due to a congenital heart defect, according to the CDC. Mrs. Evans said the family is already looking forward to hosting KidFest again in 2019. The family raised $9,000 through the many generous sponsors of KidFest, and another $6,000 was raised through Saturday’s activities. Pedro St. James was the per- fect location for the family fun day, said Mrs. Evans, be- cause it gave the kids plenty of room to run around and have a good time. “I like it because it’s the perfect venue for kids to be free to enjoy and have a great time,” she said. “It’s beautiful and has a beautiful view. I just wanted a beautiful venue to host Nolan’s birthday.” Cayman Islands Youth Parliamentarian Richard Weber argued in support of Brexit in the Legislative Assembly on Friday. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS Friends Zoe Levy, 6, and Monroe Barton, 5, have fun at KidFest on Saturday. After a cup-stacking competition at KidFest, Henry Conner, 5, suffers the agony of defeat as Sadonya Cranston, 6, celebrates the glory of victory. - PHOTOS: KAYLA YOUNGThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K A&D Sessions Newspaper.pdf 2 21/06/2018 11:27 AMThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Government’s decision to stop forcing inbound trav- elers arriving at Cayman’s airports to fill out customs forms if they have nothing to declare seems like small change – and it is. But we hope the policy shift signals a sea change in government’s heretofore exuberant embrace of unnecessary paperwork. More than an inconvenience, Cayman’s prolifera- tion of forms, lengthy applications and other assorted annoyances represents significant lost time, increases the cost of doing business, and drives the general pop- ulation, well, generally nuts. The policy of requiring customs forms from the half-million-plus international air travelers arriving at Cayman Islands airports each year provides one micro- example of the ways that all this paperwork shuffling adds work — but not value. Her Majesty’s Customs’ requirement that all incoming travelers complete a goods declaration form might not seem overly burdensome – until one begins to think of it at a system-wide level. First, there is the cost of designing and printing the forms, themselves. Then there is the time it takes to distribute them to arriving air travelers, plus the time it takes them to fill them out. Once the airplane has landed, a representative from each family must relinquish their form and talk it over with a customs agent. Only then will the agent, having satisfied him or herself that the traveler had made a truthful declaration, wave the traveler through and add their declaration to a towering pile of collected forms. In the best of circumstances, each part of the transaction takes only a few minutes. In the worst, travelers find themselves having to untangle a mess of red tape before heading home or to the beach. A great mystery, of course, is what happens to the millions of forms that have been collected even though no duty was required? To which administrative purga- tory are they relegated? Are there warehouses full of moldering non-declarations somewhere, waiting for a purge or natural disaster to seal their fate? Thankfully, not for much longer. Customs officials have announced that beginning June 30, only visitors who have items to declare, and residents who have exceeded their $350 allowance for dutiable goods, will be required to fill out enumerative paperwork. Tourists and residents, we expect, will appreciate the change, as will customs agents. It’s a win-win. This small but meaningful victory should prompt administrators across government to examine every process and piece of paper, asking: “What value does this paperwork contribute? If the answer is little or none, it should become a candidate for elimination. (Who can forget, in earlier times, walking into the old Immigration Building and witnessing waist-high piles of folders rising from the floor. “Oh God, please don’t let mine be in there,” was not an irrational thought.) One thing about forms: If you’re going to rely on them, you’d better be good at creating them. The Cayman government, along with its myriad of depart- ments and regulatory tentacles, is not. In far too many instances, the questions are unclear or repetitive, the grammar is atrocious, and the spelling is worse. Misspellings make newspapers, and countries, look, frankly, stupid. Let the legacy of Governor Anwar Choudhury’s short tenure on our islands be his blessedly blunt directive: “Shred or burn policies or bits of bureau- cracy. Literally, burn them.” This is one instance where no one should call 911 or the fire department. Let the bureaucratic bonfires blaze! Weaning government off its addiction to useless paperwork MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Krauthammer, diagnostician of our public discontents WASHINGTON – When he was asked how to become a columnist, Charles Krau- thammer would say, with characteristic drollery, “First, you go to medical school.” He did, with psychiatry as his specialty because, he said with characteristic felicity, it combined the practicality of medicine and the elegance of philosophy. But he also came to the columnist craft by ac- cident. Because of one. It has been said that if we had to think about tying our shoes or combing our hair we would never get out of the house in the morning. Life is mostly habitual – do you actually remember any details of driving home last evening? The more of life’s functions that are routinely performed without thinking, the more thinking we can do. That, however, is not how life was for Charles after his accident. In 1972, when he was a 22-year-old student at Har- vard Medical School, he was swimming in a pool. Someone pushed the diving board out, extending over a shallower part of the pool. Charles, not realizing this, dove and broke his neck. At the bottom of the pool, “I knew exactly what happened. I knew why I wasn’t able to move, and I knew what that meant.” It meant that life was going to be different than he and Robyn had anticipated when they met at Oxford. He left two books at the pool. One was a text on the spinal cord. The other was Andre Malraux’s novel “Man’s Fate.” Paralyzed from the neck down, he completed medical school, did an internship and, one thing leading to another, as life has a way of doing, be- came not a jewel in the crown of the medical profession, which he would have been, but one of America’s foremost public intellectuals. Nothing against doctors, but the na- tion needed Charles more as a diagnostician of our public discontents. During the 1980 presiden- tial campaign, Charles wrote speeches for the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Walter Mondale, who did not realize – neither did Charles – that the campaign harbored a thinker who soon would be a leading light of contempo- rary conservatism. Dictating columns when not driving himself around Washington in a specially designed van that he operated while seated in his motorized wheelchair, crisscrossing the country to deliver speeches to enthralled audiences, Charles drew on reserves of energy and will- power to overcome a multi- tude of daily challenges, any one of which would cause most people to curl up in a fetal position. Fortunately, with more brain cells to spare than the rest us have to use, he could think about doing what was no longer habitual, and about national matters, too. Charles died at 68, as did, 19 years ago, Meg Green- field, the editor of The Wash- ington Post’s editorial page. For many years, Meg, Charles and this columnist met for Saturday lunches with a guest – usually someone then newsworthy; now completely forgotten – at a Washington greasy spoon whose name, the Chevy Chase Lounge, was grander than the place. Like Meg, Charles was one of those vanishingly rare Wash- ingtonians who could be both likable and logical. This is not easy in a town where the local industry, politics – unlike, say, engineering; get things wrong and the bridges buckle – thrives on unrefuted errors. Medicine made Charles intimate with finitude – the skull beneath the skin of life; the fact that expira- tion is written into the lease we have on our bodies. And his accident gave him a ca- pacity for sympathy, as Rick Ankiel knows. Ankiel was a cannot-miss, Cooperstown-bound pitching phenomenon for the St. Louis Cardinals – until, suddenly and inexplicably, he could not find the plate. Starting the opening game of a playoff series at age 21, the prodigy threw five wild pitches and his career rapidly spiraled far down to … resurrection as a 28-year-old major league outfielder, for a short but sat- isfying stint in defiance of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s dictum that there are no second acts in a life. As Charles wrote, An- kiel’s saga illustrated “the catastrophe that awaits ev- eryone from a single false move, wrong turn, fatal en- counter. Every life has such a moment. What distinguishes us is whether – and how – we ever come back.” The health problems that would end Charles’ life re- moved him from the national conversation nine months ago, so his legion of ad- mirers already know that he validated this axiom: Some people are such a large pres- ence while living that they still occupy space even when they are gone. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL Charles Krauthammer Fortunately, with more brain cells to spare than the rest us have to use, he could think about doing what was no longer habitual, and about national matters, too.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 WE HAVE MOVED! Effective Monday, June 25, 2018 our Corporate Headquarters, Cayman First Centre, will be open at 17 Vibert Bodden Drive (off Shedden Road) Call 345-949-7028 Email askus@caymanfirst.com Visit caymanfirst.com COMMERCIAL. HEALTH. HOME. MARINE. MOTOR. STRATA. CAYMAN FIRST CENTRE Monday, June 25, 2018 Conservation council questions music festival site approval Advice from environment body was not considered JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The National Conserva- tion Council is questioning why its advice was not con- sidered before the Dart group was granted planning per- mission for an event site that will host a major music fes- tival next year. The council had rec- ommended the applica- tion be initially restricted to one year, with numerous conditions attached, in- cluding a requirement to produce an environmental management plan. None of that advice made it to the agenda papers for the Central Planning Author- ity’s meeting, however, and the board granted general approval for a festival site. Now the council has written to the planning de- partment seeking an expla- nation for the oversight and asking for the application to be reconsidered. The request is likely to fall on deaf ears, however. Haroon Pandohie, director of the Department of Plan- ning, told the Cayman Com- pass the council had missed the deadline to submit its recommendations. He said there was no scope for the advice to be reconsidered at this stage. The Dart group appeared before the board in May to give details of the plan, which includes space for nearly 2,000 vehicles as well as some landscaping of the site, close to the Kimpton resort. The site will host the KAABOO music festival, which will bring bands in- cluding the Chainsmokers, Duran Duran and Counting Crows to the island next year. The two-day event will be held in February for at least the next three years, and the site could also be used for other major events and con- certs, Jackie Doak, presi- dent of Dart Realty, said at the meeting. In a letter to the plan- ning department, John Bothwell, secretary to the National Conservation Council, indicated that the CPA was legally required to consider its advice be- fore granting approval. He notes that the council pro- vided a “screening opinion” indicating that the appli- cation would not require a full Environmental Impact Assessment. But he said it had also provided a detailed analysis of the applica- tion, along with recommen- dations, which should have been considered. He adds that the CPA’s final decision letter refers to the wrong parcel numbers and suggests that this over- sight will mean the applica- tion has to be reconsidered. “As you are aware, Sec- tion 41 of the National Con- servation Law requires the CPA to consult with the NCC prior to giving any approval or undertaking likely to ad- versely impact the environ- ment, and to take the advice of the NCC into account,” Mr. Bothwell wrote in a letter to Mr. Pandohie, published with the agenda papers for next week’s conservation council meeting. “We therefore look for- ward to an immediate sub- stantive response from the CPA on why this statutory re- quirement was not fulfilled in relation to this applica- tion and confirmation that, in rectifying the incorrect Deci- sion Letter, the CPA will be provided with the NCC’s full submission to allow the stat- utory consultation require- ment to be fulfilled.” In response to questions from the Compass, Mr. Pan- dohie suggested the council had missed two deadlines for submission of their recommendations. He said the comments should have been filed by April 20 to make it on to the agenda papers but the council missed both this date and an extended deadline of May 7, failing to file their ad- vice till May 10. “We unfortunately could not include the received com- ments in the agenda for the May 16, 2018 meeting, for consideration by the CPA, as the meeting agenda had been finalized, released, and disseminated via the department’s website on May 9, 2018,” he said in an emailed response. The council had recom- mended that planning per- mission be limited to one year and be subject to an en- vironmental management plan, including methodolo- gies and assessments miti- gating environmental im- pacts. It also asked for a “vegetated buffer” between the event site and parking areas and nearby residen- tial areas and beaches, as well as a restriction on the type of events that could be held during turtle nesting season, which runs from May to November. The council has also raised questions about pre- vious works at the site. Dart released a brief statement saying all works taking place at the site north of the Kimpton Seafire resort had been ap- proved by the CPA. “Dart Real Estate un- dertakes a sustainable ap- proach to each project with which it is involved and any event held at the site will need the requi- site approval.” In a letter to the planning department, John Bothwell, secretary to the National Conservation Council, indicated that the CPA was legally required to consider its advice before granting approval. Wesleyan Christian Academy wins Cayman Water art contest SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The public has spoken. Wesleyan Christian Acad- emy’s painting has been chosen as the winner of the Cayman Water art compe- tition, thanks to 192 votes in favor on the company’s Facebook page. Wesleyan Christian Academy outpolled support for the paintings from Grace Christian Academy (136) and Cayman International School (124). The school will receive a $500 check from Cayman Water for its participation, and the winning artwork will be featured on the company’s annual report. Cayman Water provided the materials and canvas for the competition, and the three paintings were com- posed by a group of chil- dren ranging in age from 7 to 10 years old. The class re- sponsible for the winning painting will be treated to a plant tour at one of the Cayman Water facilities. The utility company hoped to stress the importance of water to the next generation of Cayman citizens, and it staged its competition in an effort to strengthen ties to the community. Wesleyan Christian Academy’s painting appears to show an island overwhelmed with water. Land north of the Kimpton Seafire hotel is cleared in May at the site of the KAABOO festival. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Red Cross stages annual pre-hurricane meeting The Cayman Islands Red Cross recently gathered 100 volunteers to take part in the annual pre-hurricane meeting. That meeting gives the Red Cross a chance to brief new and existing vol- unteers and to provide infor- mation on the organization’s role as a relief agency and auxiliary to government. “Cayman is a transient society, and as such we al- ways have large numbers of new volunteers who are un- aware of the magnitude of the tasks that the Red Cross undertakes in times of disas- ters,” said Jondo Obi, branch manager of the Cayman Is- lands Red Cross. “Our or- ganization runs additional programs, like First Aid, the Thrift Shop, and Child Pro- tection and Sexuality Edu- cation, so it’s important to let all volunteers know that should a disaster hit, it is all hands on deck.” The meeting began with a review of what happened last year. Last year’s Atlantic region had 16 named storms, six of which were tropical storms, four were hurricanes and six were major hurri- canes. Because of the volume of storms and the proportion of major events, Red Cross volunteers are reminded that general preparedness at the individual level and having a family disaster plan are both vital to survival. “If you haven’t done so, go home and discuss this with your families,” Ms. Obi said. “Decide if you’re going to be here or if you’re going off island. If you are staying here, where are you going to stay? Do you know if you live in an area where evacuation is mandatory? “Can you stay with friends or will you be going to a shelter? All of these ques- tions need answers, and you must include your family members in this discussion.” Families are advised to have additional medication in the aftermath of the storm and also to know the blood types of their family mem- bers. Meeting participants received a full rundown of tasks and activities that the Red Cross undertakes and volunteers were asked to think about where they might be a good fit. The Red Cross begins its responsibilities as soon as a storm warning materializes. Red Cross volunteers also help the elderly and disabled population of Cayman pre- pare for storms by sandbag- ging their homes. Red Cross volunteers also assist in the evacuation of flood-prone zones, manage the shelter and provide first aid coverage at all non-emer- gency shelters in Grand Cayman. The Red Cross also conducts damage and needs assessments following a storm, provides first aid sup- port for the public, assists with search-and-rescue ef- forts and connects fami- lies via the Restoring Family Links program. “The 2017 hurricane season was catastrophic, and just because we were not di- rectly affected by it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t learn the lessons from those who were,” Ms. Obi said. “We must continue to enhance our ef- forts in preparedness and mitigation so as to ensure that we are resilient should we be faced with the same challenges that the Eastern Caribbean encountered last year. We are incredibly fortu- nate to have such dedicated volunteers who do so much for our community, but the more each of us takes on the responsibility to prepare our- selves and our families, the better off the country will be.” The Red Cross had a packed house at its annual hurricane preparation meeting. CIMPA awards recognize cream of Cayman’s marketing professionals The creative minds behind some of Cayman’s most dis- tinctive ad campaigns came together Friday night for the third annual awards dinner of the Cayman Islands Marketing Professionals Association. The dinner, held at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, lauded adver- tising and marketing profes- sionals for their creativity, their ingenuity and their im- pact on the local community. The event was hosted by Kafara Augustine and Marc Babin. Two entrants – Marriott’s Anchor & Den Restaurant and Vagabond Media Group – won two awards each, while Tower Marketing representatives won Creative Professional and Marketer of the Year. Catherine Healy, chair of CIMPA, said this year’s dinner had 51 applicants across the nine categories, and she lauded the commu- nity for coming out to sup- port the talented profes- sionals of Cayman. “The competition was pretty tough and it was dif- ficult for the judges to short- list only four per category,” Ms. Healy said. “One of the categories had nine appli- cations, so there are quite a few people in our community who aren’t here tonight even though everyone produced such amazing work.” Marriott’s Anchor & Den won for both Brand of the Year and Website or App of the Year, while Vagabond Media took home the prize for Video of the Year and for Agency of the Year. Property Cayman won Campaign of the Year and Wall Creations won Commu- nity Impact of the Year for its “The Griffin Christmas Card” campaign. Tower Marketing’s Delano Myers was named by his peers as Creative Professional of the Year, and his peer Kirsty MacGeoch was awarded Mar- keter of the Year. Lustic Life’s Sophie Prior was named the organization’s Rising Star of the Year. CIMPA will hold its annual conference on Sept. 24 and 25 at the Marriott, and Ms. Healy thanked everyone in atten- dance for the work they do and for supporting the work of their competitors. “All of you who have been shortlisted, you represent the best of what the island has to offer and you should be very proud of the work you’re pro- ducing,” said Ms. Healy of the group of award nominations. “We hope you use tonight to celebrate that whether you re- ceive an award or not.” Nico Franco and Danielle Fitzgerald hold their CIMPA Awards for Marriott’s Anchor & Den, which won both Brand and Website or App of the Year. - PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHER Sophie Prior takes the award for Rising Star of the Year while hosts Kafara Augustine and Marc Babin look on. Vagabond Media’s Monica Walton, who accepted awards for Video and Agency of the Year, is pictured with Julian Foster. AWARD WINNERS: Brand of the Year Marriott’s Anchor & Den Website or App of the Year Marriott’s Anchor & Den Campaign of the Year Property Cayman Community Impact of the Year Wall Creations, ‘The Griffin Christmas Card’ Video of the Year Vagabond Media, ‘This is Cayman’ Creative Professional of the Year Delano Myers (Tower Marketing) Rising Star of the Year Sophie Prior (Lustic Life) Marketer of the Year Kirsty MacGeoch (Tower Marketing) Agency of the Year Vagabond Media Group7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, July 2nd, Constitution Day (Public Holiday) Constitution Day PUBLIC HOLIDAY Monday, July 2nd PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Celebrate (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday July 2 No Publication Tuesday July 3 Thursday June 28 Wednesday July 4 Friday June 29 Thursday July 5 Friday June 29 Friday July 6 Tuesday July 3 12 years for robbery at Mitzi’s Fine Jewelry Judge holds robber and lookout equally responsible CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two people were sen- tenced to 12 years impris- onment on Friday after they were found guilty in March of robbing Mitzi’s Fine Jew- elry, a store on West Bay Road that the owner has since closed. Madeinys Ebanks-Pol, 39, and Adrian Adela Gea, 33, had pleaded not guilty to the charge that on Nov. 18, 2015, they stole jewelry valued at approximately $516,201 be- longing to Mitzi Callan, and that they did so by using force against the clerk in the store. They chose to be tried by judge alone. After hearing the evidence, Justice Stephen Hellman said he was satisfied that Mr. Gea was the robber and that Ms. Ebanks-Pol was the lookout, who also sup- plied Mr. Gea with the motor vehicle and license plates used in the robbery. The de- fendants were remanded in custody and sentencing ad- journed so that social inquiry and victim impact reports could be obtained. On Friday, by way of a video link, Justice Hellman said he was satisfied as to their roles and he held them equally responsible. He did not know their motivation, but it had been an extremely serious offense. There had been a psychological effect on the victims and significant impact on the business, he said. The effect on Ms. Callan had been life-changing, the judge commented. There had been a breach of trust by Ms. Ebanks-Pol, who was a former employee, leading Ms. Callan to lose trust in people in general. As Crown counsel Scott Wainwright noted in his summary of the case, Ms. Callan had closed the store down after the robbery be- cause of the detrimental cost. No items were recovered. Another court heard pre- viously that Ms. Callan had designed the jewelry she of- fered for sale; the incident had affected her creativity. Mr. Wainwright said Ms. Callan had asked for com- pensation and he was making that request to the court, but he appreciated that it might be impractical because he was not sure the defendants had any assets. Justice Hellman said it was for the defendants to prove that they did not have assets. Mr. Wainwright ob- served that Ms. Callan might feel she had a remedy in the civil courts. Defense attorney Nicholas Dixey spoke in miti- gation for Mr. Gea, who had no previous convictions. He pointed out that there had been no violence, but acknowledged there had been a threat of violence be- cause of the presence of a firearm or imitation firearm. He accepted that the ob- ject, whether real of not, had been put against the clerk’s body at the beginning of the robbery, but it had been in the robber’s waistband for the most part. The wearing of a mask was an aggravating feature, Mr. Dixey acknowledged, but other potentially aggravating features were not present, such as a gang of robbers. The robbery was of some duration – about one hour – during which there was con- versation between the clerk and the robber that led her to think she would not be killed, and so her level of terror di- minished, the attorney said. Mr. Gea had been a hard worker and came from a stable background. He had supported his mother and there was no indication of any debt problem, so the motive for the robbery was “something of a mystery,” Mr. Dixey said. He accepted a sen- tencing range between nine and 14 years, but asked that the sentence imposed not de- prive Mr. Gea of all hope. This defendant had been charged also with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit the rob- bery. Because of the way the charge was worded, the judge had found him not guilty, but using an item to instill fear was an aggravating factor, he indicated. Defense attorney Keva Reid spoke for Ms. Ebanks- Pol. She agreed that her client had been employed by Ms. Callan approximately for one year before the rob- bery, but was not employed at the time. Ms. Ebanks-Pol was a Cuban national who had been in Cayman for 20 years with permanent resi- dence. Her position was that it was a robbery of a small business, committed with a degree of planning that was “less sophisticated.” Ms. Reid asked the judge to consider mitigating factors set out in a social workers re- port and a psychological re- port that dealt with the pe- riod during which the offense was committed. She noted that the value of the items stolen was a retail value and there had been no objec- tive assessment. Earlier in the hearing, Mr. Wainwright noted that Ms. Ebanks-Pol had two pre- vious convictions for theft from the same employer. She had stolen items and pawned them, but assisted in their recovery. She had received a six-month sentence. Mr. Gea had been a hard worker and came from a stable background. He had supported his mother and there was no indication of any debt problem, so the motive for the robbery was “something of a mystery,” Mr. Dixey said. Magistrate notes overstayers’ effect on economy CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Magistrate Valdis Foldats sentenced another overstayer to eight months imprison- ment last week, citing harm to the country’s economy. Everol Everton Ellis, 61, pleaded guilty on Thursday to overstaying since Feb. 27, 2015. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson said Immigration officers went to an address in Prospect on June 19, acting on information received. Mr. Ellis was arrested and cautioned. When he was interviewed the next day, he admitted he had remained here illegally after an application for a work permit was refused. Mr. Ellis said he had come to Cayman from Jamaica in 2005 as a carpenter. In re- cent years he had worked as a mason three or four days a week at $10 to $12 per hour. He had worked “for various persons” and had been living with a friend. Defense attorney Neil Kumar said Mr. Ellis knew he was doing wrong, but he took a chance because he had chil- dren to support. A lot of the money he made “has gone back to Jamaica,” the at- torney explained. The magistrate thanked Mr. Ellis for his guilty plea and cooperation and said sentencing for this kind of case was something he struggled with. What overstaying meant was that Mr. Ellis had taken jobs away from people who had the right to work. He was harming Caymanians and people from other countries who were here legally. “Someone has been har- boring you – that’s illegal,” the magistrate pointed out. “The people employing you are committing crimes,” he added. He hoped enforcement au- thorities would check the em- ployers who had encouraged Mr. Ellis’s illegal work. “An underground economy with illegal workers is offen- sive to the law,” he said. He set the same penalty he had determined earlier in the week for a man who had admitted overstaying for six years. The sentence was 12 months, with one-third dis- count for the guilty plea, for a total of eight months. “I hope the word gets out. I hope people stop doing this,” he concluded. In the first case, he urged authorities to devise a meaningful sentence that would not cost the state so much money in terms of providing food and shelter in prison. He raised the question of whether over- stayers might be housed at the Immigration Deten- tion Centre but allowed out during the day to perform community service. Defense attorney Neil Kumar said Mr. Ellis knew he was doing wrong, but he took a chance because he had children to support. Another overstayer jailed The Mitzi’s Fine Jewelry robbery case resulted in prison sentences for both defendants involved. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS diving, archaeological explo- ration, cave diving, freediving and running dive companies, women play a huge roll in the diving industry as it is today and where it is headed in the future, and it is nice to recognize that.” Cayman divers will gather at Lighthouse Point on July 21 for the record attempt. Ms. Mikutowicz said she hoped to bring as many female divers as possible together to join hands underwater and form a human chain. A donation of $25 to the Cayman Islands Breast Cancer Foundation is re- quired in order to take part. Pre-registration is mandatory for safety reasons. For more information, call Divetech on 946-5658. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Female divers join hands for record attempt interest document. OfReg President J. Paul Morgan said the regulator has already ruled that Cay- man’s major fuel suppliers – Sol Petroleum and Rubis in motor vehicle fuels, and Home Gas in the propane market – maintained “sig- nificant market power” under the law. With that determina- tion made, Mr. Morgan said OfReg can now for- mulate a set of rules to en- sure the market keeps a level playing field. The con- sultant’s review will assist the agency in determining what further steps, if any, it should take. Mr. Morgan told mem- bers of the Legislative As- sembly’s Public Accounts Committee in May that he was generally inclined to let the market sort itself out by encouraging addi- tional competitors, rather than setting up strict pricing rules. Government interven- tion in forcing fuel compa- nies, whether in the petro- leum market or propane supply business, was en- visioned as a “last resort” under the legislation ap- proved by the Progressives- led government last year. Mr. Morgan told ac- counts committee members that he believed Cayman could achieve what it wants in “assuring that fuel prices are as low as pos- sible” with the model that is in place now. Within the past year, smaller competitors have entered both markets, with Refuel getting into the petroleum business and Clean Gas joining Cayman’s propane fuel market, which had been a monopoly for more than 40 years. Fuel prices In late March, average Cayman fuel prices were around $4.43 per gallon. By June 19, the average among the Rubis and Sol stations on Grand Cayman for the lowest priced un- leaded fuel was up to $4.74 per gallon. Those prices do not in- clude fuel sold in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are much higher. They also do not include fuel prices at new market competitor Refuel, which is operating in George Town and where prices are much lower. Refuel prices were $4.29 per gallon for 87 octane fuel and $4.48 per gallon for 90 octane as of June 19, according to OfReg. Most Rubis and Sol sta- tions sell 89 octane and 93 octane petrol. Many Brazilians look to military amid political anger RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Fu- rious at corrupt politi- cians and fearful of dete- riorating security, many Brazilians are calling for a military intervention to clean house of crooked leaders and crack down on heavily armed drug gangs. While chances of a mili- tary takeover in Latin Ameri- ca’s largest nation are small, the calls have become such a part of the national dis- cussion that several generals have felt compelled to deny any interest in such a move – though that has not kept them from sounding off on politics in a way that raises questions. Such discussions would have been unthinkable even a few years ago in a country that emerged from a 21-year dictatorship in 1985, and most supporters tend to avoid the words “coup” or “dicta- torship.” But the largest cor- ruption scandal in Latin American history and an eco- nomic downturn have under- scored an emerging narrative that only the armed forces can save Brazil. “Close down Congress, ar- rest everybody involved [in corruption] and shut the Su- preme Court,” said Toni Im- brosio Oliveira, a 61-year-old physical education teacher in Rio. “Why? Because there is collusion between all three branches of power.” Like other supporters, Oliveira said the military should only be in power long enough to write a new consti- tution, try corrupt politicians and hold general elections. Until recently, calls for a return of military rule only came from small groups on the fringes. Today that view has moved much closer to the mainstream. Polls, myriad social media groups and last month’s national truckers’ strike, in which “Military Intervention Now!” signs were ubiquitous, show growing support. “I support a military in- tervention to create a digni- fied democracy in Brazil,” said Donizeti Dias Pereira, director of Tranziran, a trucking com- pany in Rio de Janeiro. “That is not what we have today.” Brazilians are understand- ably angry. Beginning in 2014, the so-called Carwash inves- tigation has uncovered a co- lossal corruption scheme that raised eyebrows in a country long inured to graft in politics. Several construction com- panies essentially formed a cartel that decided which firms would get inflated con- tracts from state oil com- pany Petrobras, siphoning bil- lions of dollars for kickbacks to company officials, politi- cians and other government officials. The investigation and related probes have led to the jailing of several of the coun- try’s elite, from former Ode- brecht CEO Marcelo Ode- brecht to ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. But many politicians ac- cused of wrongdoing, in- cluding President Michel Temer, remain in office. Watchdog groups estimate that 60 percent of members of Congress have either been charged or are being inves- tigated for wrongdoing, and many will be running in Octo- ber’s general election. Reginaldo Prandi, a soci- ology professor at the Uni- versity of Sao Paulo and co- founder of the respected Datafolha polling institute, said a sluggish economic re- covery after a deep recession is adding to the angst. “The crisis creates dis- satisfaction, hardships for many families and then there is this fantasy that a mili- tary dictatorship would be able to put the economy on track,” said Prandi. Prandi, historians and po- litical analysts say there is much ignorance about the dic- tatorship, in part because an amnesty law has kept alleged perpetrators from being tried. Compared to other mili- tary governments in South America, such as in Argen- tina and Chile, Brazil’s ver- sion was less repressive. Still, at least 434 people were killed or disappeared during the dictatorship, according to a truth commission report in 2014. Thousands more were tortured, and the press was heavily censured. “People who want inter- vention have no idea what a military government is,” said Ana Miranda, who said she was tortured in the late 1960s and jailed four years for par- ticipating in anti-government demonstrations. Miranda, a retired phar- macist who lives in Rio de Janeiro, said she was kicked so many times that she got kidney infections. Repeated electric shocks to her vagina – a common practice to extract information – led to such se- vere urinary infections that doctors told her she would never have children. “It’s like your body is being removed from your mind,” she said, tears in her eyes, as she recounted being tortured. Despite that past, the mili- tary is by far the most trusted institution in Brazil today, and polls show a decline in sup- port for democracy and in- creasing support for the mili- tary to take a stronger hand. In April, when the Su- preme Court was deciding whether to allow da Silva, Brazil’s president between 2003 and 2010, to remain free while he appealed a cor- ruption conviction, Army Gen. Eduardo Villas Boas tweeted: “I assure the nation that the Brazilian Army, like all good citizens, shares the longing for the repudiation of impunity.” VIOLENCE CLAIMS MORE LIVES IN NICARAGUA AS UNREST CONTINUES MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) – A fresh wave of vio- lence claimed at least seven lives in Nicaragua as international criti- cism mounted against the government of President Daniel Ortega over its re- sponse to protests. The attacks began Friday evening, hours after the Inter-American Com- mission on Human Rights presented a report sig- naling the Nicaraguan gov- ernment as having vio- lated human rights during the protests, which started in mid-April and have been met by a heavy- handed crackdown by se- curity forces and allied ci- vilian groups. Opposition and civic groups called off a march planned for Saturday after- noon to honor those killed in recent protests. The or- ganizers said they wanted to avoid further bloodshed. Saturday is also Father’s Day in Nicaragua. Protesters are calling for Ortega’s ouster and op- position groups want pres- idential elections to be moved up by two years, to 2019. Nicaragua has no term limits. Ortega has yet to respond to the demand for early elections. The Roman Catholic Church is mediating talks between opposition groups and the government, and Nicaraguan bishops have called for discussions to re- sume on Monday. Pablo Abrao, execu- tive secretary of the Inter- American Commission on Human Rights, said via Twitter Saturday that a technical team from the commission will meet Monday with state au- thorities, members of civil society and reli- gious leaders. Alvaro Leiva, director of the Nicaraguan Pro- Human Rights Association, warned Nicaraguans to be on high-alert for further violence, calculating that more than 215 people have died since the unrest began in mid-April. Regulator wades into local fuel market CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A striking trucker protests rising fuel costs on May 26, as he walks beside a truck with a sign that reads in Portuguese ‘We won’t pay for the corrupt. Military Intervention now!’ in Brasilia, Brazil. – PHOTO: AP Jo Mikutowicz, owner of Divetech, is helping organize a chain of female divers for Women’s Dive Day in July.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 25, 2018 The family of the Late Chester K. Hydes regrets to announce his passing on Monday, 18 June, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 27 June 2018 at the Cayman Islands Seafarers Hall. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Cayman HospiceCare & The Cayman Islands Cancer Society Government plans electronic identification system MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Proving one’s identity may soon become much easier for Caymanians. Government is currently working on consol- idating disparate data sets across all departments. The exercise will enable the in- troduction of a secure dig- ital identity as early as next year, with a potential popula- tionwide rollout of electronic identity cards in about three years, according to govern- ment officials. Speaking at the Cayman Islands Digital Economy Con- ference on Thursday, Premier Alden McLaughlin said elec- tronic identification may be the answer to the complexi- ties of proving that someone is Caymanian for employ- ment, voting rights or certain social benefits. “Having to prove that you are Caymanian can be onerous, and having to do it over and over when changing jobs for instance can be annoying to say the least,” he said. “So, it is im- portant that we find some way to solve this issue and it is thought that by using a digital identification, where one’s status as a Caymanian is proven for once and all and linked to your digital ID, is likely the best solution to this problem.” Potentially this electronic identification will also serve as a voter ID, driver’s li- cense and identity card, the premier added. “Indeed, it could serve as a citizen’s access to all gov- ernment services, including healthcare at the local hos- pital, or perhaps access to social care. The poten- tial, we believe, is great,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Digital identification is part of a wider effort to ex- pand government’s elec- tronic services. Ian Tibbetts, the director of e-government, noted at the conference the secure access and digital identity components of Cayman’s e- government infrastructure are currently subject to on- going procurement. “It is not just a plan or a discussion anymore,” he said, but the tech- nology components are coming together. This will give government the tools to consolidate all the necessary base data for a digital ID system that is now stored in separate, un- connected databases across various departments. The director of e-govern- ment said having an elec- tronic identity card is just one aspect; the more im- portant part is the under- lying base data. In the last general election in Cayman, for example, the voter regis- tration process consisted of one year of data validation. Current work is based on the voter registration list to get a consolidated view that will support the electronic identification. Mr. Tibbetts predicts that government “will be ready to introduce an e-ID some time in 2019.” But this is only the tech- nical readiness, which is in- dependent from the right timing from a policy per- spective, he noted. “It is reasonable to expect us [to be] in that position in two to three years,” he said. Plans to roll out an ID card to Cayman’s popula- tion can take between 18 months and three years, with three years being a more reasonable time frame both in terms of time and costs, he added. Recently, government’s digital efforts focused more on the needs of business with new digital services for company registration, lands registration and im- migration purposes. New digital initiatives involving the management of trade and business licenses are also under way. For individual citizens, new digital services have brought the ability to apply online for driver and motor vehicle licensing and po- lice clearance certificates. About 36 percent of police clearance applications are now made online. An electronic identifica- tion and secure access to government services will drive new digital govern- ment services related to iden- tity and citizenship, as well as new processes for busi- ness licensing and around property transactions, Mr. Tibbetts said. Premier McLaughlin noted that many people do not have the time to drive to a government office, find parking and then stand in line to pay for a service or a particular tax or fee. “There is a valid expec- tation that government will make this as easy for them to do as possible,” he said. “Indeed, it could serve as a citizen’s access to all government services, including healthcare at the local hospital, or perhaps access to social care. The potential, we believe, is great.” PREMIER ALDEN MCLAUGHLIN Community service given for fatal dangerous driving case Anyone drinking needs to take extra care, judge says CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Eighty hours of commu- nity service was the sentence for a man whom a jury found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, but guilty of dangerous driving. Noel Vaughn Douglas, now 38, had been charged with driving a BMW dangerously on Linford Pierson Highway on Sept. 5, 2015, causing the death of Matthew Owens, 31. Mr. Owens was riding a mo- torcycle and was not wearing a crash helmet. The men were friends. Background to the charge was provided by Crown counsel Scott Wainwright at the opening of the trial in March this year. Conditions the night of the incident were good and there was a stretch of road where passing was possible. Mr. Douglas’s BMW was ahead of Mr. Owens’s motor- cycle. The speed limit was 40 mph and there was evi- dence that both men were exceeding it. Mr. Douglas went to over- take a vehicle in his lane and hit a car in the oncoming lane. Mr. Owens was an es- timated 15 to 20 feet behind the BMW, which was not a safe distance, and he became involved in the collision. Mr. Douglas denied that he and his friend were racing, but agreed, “We were going a little hard, yes.” Mr. Owens was found to be just over the legal limit for alcohol consumption, with a reading of .105. Mr. Douglas was under the limit, at .093. The legal limit is .100. In passing sentence, Justice Stephen Hellman pointed out that a person who drinks is “under a spe- cial duty to take extra care.” The judge noted that the law does not allow for a sentence to be suspended in such a case and, in his opinion, it was not suitable for a financial penalty. He accepted the mitigation put forward by defense attorney Nicholas Dixey and imposed an order for 80 hours of community service. Mr. Dixey had told the court that, in typical cases, the family of the deceased wanted a defendant pun- ished. In this case, Mr. Ow- ens’s family had been very supportive of Mr. Douglas, even writing to the Di- rector of Public Prosecu- tions asking that he not be prosecuted. Mr. Douglas had stayed close to Mr. Owens’s family and had done community work in his friend’s memory, the attorney noted. He sub- mitted letters of reference from people he said would normally hesitate to put pen to paper. He said Mr. Douglas had given evidence in his trial with courage and dignity, assisting the jury as best he could. DG’S 5K CHALLENGE RAISES $89,000 FOR CHARITY The community re- sponded to Deputy Gov- ernor Franz Manderson’s call to action. The 2018 DG’s 5K Challenge raised a total of $89,000 for five chari- table causes, exceeding the target set by Franz Man- derson, who is currently acting governor, by more than $29,000. The Grand Cayman beneficiaries will be Cayman Islands Meals on Wheels, Feed Our Fu- ture and Kiwanis Club of Grand Cayman’s Buy a Kid Breakfast program. Each of those programs will be granted $28,000. The Cayman Brac event raised $3,000 for meals at the Kirkconnell Community Care Centre, and $2,000 was raised on Little Cayman to- ward a “grow box” at the is- land’s school. More than 2,000 walkers and runners took part in this year’s 5K Challenge at the three sites. Mr. Man- derson revealed the total money raised during a re- ception at Government House on Wednesday. “I am delighted we raised such a huge sum of money for such a tremen- dous cause,” he said. “Many of us take it for granted that we have three meals a day, while some people are not sure they will have even one. I am very happy that we are able to support these great causes, which make such a difference in the lives of many people, with a donation that has exceeded all our expectations.” The DG’s 5K Chal- lenge has been held for five years and has raised a total of $296,000 for a variety of causes in the Cayman community. “We couldn’t raise these funds without the gen- erous support of our spon- sors and the incredible sup- port from the community,” said Mr. Manderson of the fundraising total. “Everyone who has been involved in the Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge has been part of making this happen.” Attendees at the DG’s 5K Walk/Run Appreciation reception at Government House applaud the announcement of this year’s record-breaking total funds raised. “Many of us take it for granted that we have three meals a day, while some people are not sure they will have even one. I am very happy that we are able to support these great causes …” FRANZ MANDERSONNext >